Pakistan Denounces India's 'Malevolent Designs' on Water Treaty

Pakistan's Ambassador to the United Nations, Usman Jadoon, strongly condemned India's decision to suspend the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), which guarantees water flow to Pakistan. He warned that the move is a grave violation of international law and human rights law. Jadoon emphasized that the treaty is a critical lifeline for 240 million people in Pakistan and urged India to strictly abide by its obligations.

Key Takeaways:

• Ambassador Usman Jadoon, deputy permanent representative of Pakistan, denounced India's move to suspend the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) as a grave violation of international law.
• The treaty guarantees water flow to Pakistan, which is essential for 240 million people in the country.
• India's decision is a flagrant violation of established norms and widely accepted principles, including human rights law and treaty law.
• The Pakistan envoy called upon India to refrain from stopping, diverting, or restricting rivers downstream, emphasizing the critical role of protecting water resources during armed conflicts.
• The UNSC has reaffirmed principles and strongly condemned the unlawful denial of access to water resources, emphasizing their importance in safeguarding civilian lives.
• Ambassador Jadoon condemned the Indian leadership's "troubling pronouncements" to "starve the people of Pakistan," describing it as a "highly dangerous and perverse thinking."
• Pakistan urges India to abide by international laws and comply with the IHL and international human rights laws, particularly for the protection of water resources and related infrastructure.

Statistics:

• 240 million people in Pakistan rely on the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) for water flow.
• India's decision to suspend the IWT is a grave violation of international law, including human rights law, treaty law, and customary international law.
• The Pakistan envoy pointed out that attacks against water resources, related infrastructure, and denial of access to water resources constitute a significant threat to civilian lives.

Sources:

• UN Security Council meeting convened by Slovenia, in cooperation with Algeria, Panama, Sierra Leone, and the Global Alliance to Spare Water from Armed Conflicts
• Remarks by Ambassador Usman Jadoon during the UN Security Council meeting
• Article by Melita Gabric, Slovenia's State Secretary, on the critical role of protecting water and related infrastructure during armed conflicts
• UNSC Resolution reaffirming principles and strongly condemning the unlawful denial of access to water resources